John L. Dart Library celebrates 90 years with special event this Saturday

Tuesday, 05 December 2017, 02:51:26 AM. Books are the building blocks

In the past 90 years, Charleston has been through sweeping historical change. The Great Depression, World War II, the Civil Rights Movement, and countless triumphs and follies of over a dozen administrations — and the John L. Dart Library has been witness to it all.

Related As the Neck develops and placemakers set an agenda, will the black community be included or neglected again?: Whose pie is it anyway?

As the Neck develops and placemakers set an agenda, will the black community be included or neglected again? Whose pie is it anyway? "Be inclusive with neighbors.""Reach out to those with a history in the area.""Reinvent and help prevent gentrification." These are a few of the comments attendees offered at a February community meeting hosted by Enough Pie, a new, arts-based community development organization working in Charleston's upper peninsula (otherwise known as the Neck). By Elizabeth Pandolfi Features When John L. Dart founded the library in 1927, it was the first free public library for African Americans in Charleston. The library initially functioned as a reading room for the Charleston Normal and Industrial School, a school Dart also founded to serve African-American children pushed out of the segregated school system. Dart’s daughter, Susan Dart Butler, established the actual library, and helped elevate it as a foundation for music, politics, and literature for African Americans throughout the community.

In celebration of 90 years as a pillar of the community and a product of the Civil Rights Movement, Charleston Public Library is hosting an anniversary event from 10:30 a.m to 12 p.m. this Sat. Dec. 9 at the John L. Dart Library at 1067 King St. The event will include the unveiling of a historical marker and special presentations of poetry and clips from a documentary about the history of the John L. Dart library.

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